Traffic signal



A. R. AMES TRAFFIC SIGNAL April 29, 1930.

Filed May l2, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 29,-1930. A RAMES 1,156,144

TRAFFI C S IGNAL Filed May 12, 1924 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Apr. 29, 1930 PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR n. AMES, 0E LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS TRAFFIC SIGNAL Application mea may 12, 1924. serial 1z0. 712,575.

The invention relates to improvements in traiiic signals.

One of the objects of the invention is to improve traiiic signal devices.

A more specific object is to provide a manually operable signal device which is attachable to and removable from the usual surface lighting devices of roadways and which may be used in'conjunction therewith or removed therefrom when not required for use.

A further object is to provide a flood-light suitably supported, elevated above and attachable to the usual surface lighting devices of roadways and which is readily attachable to the iixtures associated with the aforesaid surface lighting devices and removable therefrom, and available for the purpose of illuminating a field of vision about such devices to advise drivers of cars of the presence of the traino-directing oiiicer.

A further object is to provide a manually operable semaphoric device at a given locality and similar devices at remote localities controlled thereby, so that an ocer at one street crossing is, by use thereof, enabled t0 simultaneously control a plurality of other crossings or other situations to be safeguarded. l

O her objects, advantages and benefits Will readily appear from a consideration off the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, wherein Fig. 1 is an elevation of one form of the device showing parts in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the lower end of the removable pole and the socket into which it is insertable, taken on end of Fig. l, when the rotation of the latter' is utilized to operate the signals carried by Fig. 4, and its own signals.

Fig. 7 is a diagram of circuits.

Fig. 8 represents a plat containing a plurality of city blocks diagrammatically showing semaphores at Various street intersections controlled by a manually operable semaphore common to all.

l Fig. 9 is a transverse section taken on line 9-9 of Figure 4.

Figure 10 is a transverse section taken on line 10--10 of Figure 4.

Figure 11 is a section of the lower end of the pole used with Figure 4.

In all of the views the same reference characters are employed to Iindicate corresponding parts. 5

It is the custom to place signal lights near the surface of roadways in thickly Apopulated vicinities, as in villages, towns and cities to mark the course vehicles are to take, similar to buoys in a water course.

These signal lights are ycovered by a protecting guard, usually a cast steel latticed dome thru which the light from the enclosed lamps may be seen and which is sufficiently strong to resist destruction by wheels of vehicles. These dome-shape guards supplement the warning effect of the enclosed lights, or

' in lieu thereof in daylight at which time the ers of approaching vehicles on dark nights and, therefore, a so-called iiood light becomes necessary. This is a light placed above the head of the officer arranged to throw its light downwardly and shielded so as to not temporarily blind persons approaching it.

Flood lights have heretofore been provided by Stringing wires overhead and suspending the light from them. This mode of installation is objectionable for many reasons.

The invention includes a support, such as a pole or pipe, having a Hood light on its upper end and suitable electric terminals on its lower end insertable thru an orifice provided in or near the guard dome into a suitable socket having cooperating electric terminals, so that the mere insertion of the pole terminals into said socket will energize the lamp or lamps carried by the pole for the purpose described.

In addition to the described flood light the pole may also carry semaphore lights to illuminate panels having the words Stop and Go appearing thereon, respectively, and rotatable by the officer so as to visually direct and move traffic alternately in different directions.

As a further refinement the rotation of the semaphore pole, directly by the officer, may be made to operate an appropriate commutator, whereby similar or co-operating stationary signals may be displayed at remote points, such for example, as at consecutive road crossings along a given street or at crossings of other streets all electrically operable by a single individual from a common or central point.

As a matter of convenience all of the signal posts, or as many as may be selected, may be supported by the guard domes for the surface lights located at the respective street crossings, and may be removable therefrom when desired by simply lifting them out of the supporting enclosures.

The drawings are illustrative of one form of the invention.

The roadway surface is shown at 10. In an evcavation into the roadway a pan 11 is located. A fixture 12 is supported in the pan and lamps 13 are insertable in sockets 14 supported by the fixture. A central socket 15 may extend thru a central perforation in the latticed guard dome 16 or terminate therebelow. In some installations a colored glass dome is placed between the guard dome 16 and the lamps. in which event it should have a central perforation in register with the perforation in the guard dome 16 thru which to insertthe pole or pipe 17. The structure 18 is used to light the surface of the roadway and is usually placed in the center of street intersections around which traffic must pass on the proper side of the road. Such devices, without the socket 15 and the insertable light-carrying pole, are in general use.

The attachable device consists of a pole, pipe, tube or similar support 17 bearing on its lower end a pair of electric terminals. In its simplest form a plug 18, of insulating material, is fiXed in the lower end of the tube 17. A ring 2() of electrically conducting material, such as brass, is fixed on the plug` and connected to wire 19 at 20 wire 21 leading to the lamp or lamps located on the upper end of the pole. Another rod 22 passes thru the center of the plug 18 and terminates in a button 23. A wire 24 also leads to the lamps located on the upper end of the pole.

The socket 12 has an insulating lining 25 in which is located a plug 26 of brass, or the like, and which supports the weight of the pole by its Contact with the button 23. The pole is rotatable in the socket. The parts 23 and 26 are electric conductors besides serving as a step bearing for the pole.

The electrical terminal 27 consists of a brass shell 28 having an outwardly threaded body 30 containing a spring pressed ball 31 for `contact with the ring 20. The spring 32 yieldingly holds the ball in electrical contact with the ring. A threaded plug 33 is insertable in the shell and with the nut 34 serves as a binding post to which to connect a circuit wire. v

Another electrical terminal consists of a threaded sleeve 35 into which is threaded a rod 36, the inner end of which makes firm contact with the vertical plug 26 to complete the electric circuit to the lamps carried by the pole. A nut 38 is threaded on the rod 36 to clamp a circuit wire thereon.

It will now be manifest that circuit is complete to the lamp 40 in the hood 39 and which is the flood light, and that the pole may be rotated Without extinguishing the lights 40, 41 and 42.

Other lamps, not shown, may be connected to the wires 21 and 24 and contained in the casings 41 and 42 behind the transparent plates 43 bearing legends, such for example, as Stop and Go, respectively, to provide a semaphore signal. These lamps may continue to burn so long as the device is in use. The casings 41 and 42 face in planes at right angles to each other. v

The pole `may be rotated, by the traffic-directing officer, by means of the handles 44 to rotate the casings one quarter turn to start .and to stop the traino in the respective directions, in a manner readily understood.

When not to be used the pole may be removed from its support without disturbing the operation of the lamps 13 and when it is reinserted circuit will be completed thru the lamps which it carries.

Vhen the device shown in Figure 1 is to be used as a master controller for operating stationary signal devices as shown in Figure 4, and cause them to display like signals simultaneously with its rotation; there is preferably added to the lower end of plug 18, an eight section commutator 45, shown in Figure 5. This commutator consists of a metal ring 46 having insulating inserts 47. The socket 12 in Figure 2 is also preferably provided with additional binding post structures 48 and 49, (Figure G) which are similar in all respects to the binding post 27, heretofore described, and have yielding balls or contacts 31-31 that bear upon the surface of the commutator 45.

The stationary signal device 50, Figure 4 has two casings 51 and 52, shown in section in Figures 9 and 10, which are at right angles to each other. Each of these casings has four compartments with a lamp L in each compartment. Two of the diagonally opposlte compartments z3-a2 Figure 9, bear the legend Go and the other twodiagonally related compartments L4-a4, the legend Stop In Figure 10, the diagonally opposite compartments @1f-a1' bear the legend Stop and the other two diagonally related compartments L2-?, the legend "Go.

This stationarysignal device 50, is supported upon a pole 17 which is similar in many respects to the insertable pole 17. The pole 17 may carry in addition one or more flood lights 53 if desired, but if not desired, these may be dispensed with by removing the pipe section 54. The pole 17 has a plug upon its lower end as shown in Figure 11, having two rings, 20 and 20, similar to the ring 20 in Figure 1, and also a. contact button 23. Terminal connections are thereby provided for the three conductors 55, 63 and61, respectively, the conductors being connected to the lights in the casings 51 and 52 as diagrammatically shown in Figure 7. The plug (Figure 11) is, to be used with the socket 12, shown in Figure 6, but is not to be rotated therein. It is therefore apparent that electrical connections tothe stationary signal device should be made thru terminals 27, 48 and 37. y

The master controller and stationary sig nal device, as heretofore described,may be arrangedv as indicated in Figure 8. A stationary signal device is located at each of the remote street intersections 13, and are all controlled by the manually operated master controller located at A, in the manner diagrammatically shown in Figure 7.

Regardless of the position of the commutator 45, the current will always flow from the positive main 57 through the terminal 27 and ring 2O into the upper portion of the rod 19 into the wire 21 thence through the signal and ilood lights on pole A and back through the Wire 24 `and rod 22 into the button 23, to which button the negative main 58 is connected through the terminal 37. The lower portion of the rod 19 at all times closes the circuit from the positive main 57 to the commutator ring 46. v

Now when the commutator is in the position shown in Figure 7, the current will leave the ring 46 through the terminal 48 and pass through the conductor 55 and conductors 59 and 60 into the lights a2 in casing 51 and a* in casing 52 which are located at right angles to each other on the stationary poles B, the lights being marked with the symbols S and G. T he current returns through conductors 61 and 62, respectively, to conductor 56 which is connected to the negative main 58. In this instance, the remainder of the lights on the poles B designated in leach case as a1 in casing 51 and a3 in casing 52 are not illuminated since the terminal 49,

through which connection is established through these lights, is connected to one of the insulating segments 47 of the commutator 45.

` Now assuming that pole 17 is rotated90", the terminal 49 will be connected with-the ring 46, and the terminal 48 will be connected to one of the insulating segments 47, thereby closing the just previously described circuit. The current will now pass through the terminal 49 and conductor 63 into the conductors 64 and 65, into lights al in casing 51 and a3, in casing 52 on the pole B. The current will then return through conductors 66 and 67, respectively, and conductor 56 to the negative main 58.

From the foreging it is apparent that I have provided a novel trailic system wherein a rotatable post bearingsignal and flood lights may be actuated so as to properly control signal lights, and flood lights, if so desired, on a plurality of supplementary poles located at various streetintersections or anyv desirable places.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details lof construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is r- 1. A roadway traiiic signal comprising a road surface light having a lamp-receiving fixture having suitable electric terminals; a lamp therein; an electric circuit to which the lamp is connected; a perforate guard overlying the fixture toprotect the lamps therein from injury by traiiic in combination with a lamp support, insertable thru the guard and having electric terminals on the inserted end for connectionto terminals on said fixture and in said circuit, and a lamp connected to lsaid terminals, mounted on said support.

2. A roadway traiiic signal comprising a road surface light having a lamp-receiving fixture; a lamp therein; an electric circuit to which the lamp is connected; a perforate guard supported on the roadway and overlying said fixture to protect the lamp therein from injury b v trafiic, in combination with a tube a lamp mounted thereon, said tube insertable thru the guard and having electric terminals on the inserted end for connection to said circuit by the act of inserting the tube and a socket on said lixtureI to receive the tube having cooperating terminals connected to the aforesaid circuit.

3. A roadway traffic signal comprising a road surface light having a lamp receiving fixture; alamp supported thereby; an electric circuit to which the lamp is connected; a perforate guard supported on the roadway and overlying said fixture and lamp to protect the lamp therein from injury by traliic, a socket having terminals connected to said circuit in combination with a tube insertable thru said guard; into said socket; cooperating electric terminals on the inserted end of the tube for connection to said electric circuit and which permit rotation of the tube; lamps mounted on the tube; traffic-directing legends arranged at right angles to each other and carried by the tube, illuminated by said lamps and rotatable with the tube into different angularly related fields of vision to direct traiiic accordingly.

4. A roadway trafiic signal device comprising an electric fixture mounted near the surface of a roadway; a lamp in the fixture; an electric circuit, a socket, having electric terminals, connected to said circuit to receive and support an insertable tube; a guard covering said fixtures and having an openingatubeinsertable thru the guard into saidsocket and rotatable therein; cooperating terminals on the inserted end of said tube trafc directing legends mounted on said tube in angular relation to each other; and lamps for illuminating said legends, carried by the tube and connected to said tube terminals.

5. A roadway traiiic signal device comprising an electric fixture mounted near the surface of theroadway; a circuit connected to said fixture; suitable terminals on said fixture connected to said circuit for cooperation with a tube; a guard overlying said fixture and having an opening therein for insertion of a tube; a tube having electric terminals on one end for cooperation with the aforesaid terminals on said fixture, said tube insertable through the guard with its terminals into contact with the terminals under the aforesaid guard, and a lamp on the other end of the tube connected to the terminals carried thereby.

6. In a traffic signal system, a plurality of sockets, a pole removably and rotatably supported in one of said sockets, traffic-directing lights at right angles on said pole, stationary poles removably supported in the otherof said sockets.v traffic-directing lights at right angles on said stationary poles in circuit with the socket which supports the rotatable pole, and lneans operable b v said rotatable pole for establishing electrical connections through certain of the lights on said stationary poles when said rotatable pole is in one position and for breaking said connection and establishing electrical connections through the others of said lights when said pole is rotated.

7. In a trafiic signal system, a plurality of stationary poles, a rotatable pole, means for removably supporting all of said poles, traiedirecting lights at right angles carried by all of said poles, an electrical circuit including said lights, and means responsive to the movement of said rotatable pole for breaking the circuit. through certain of the lights on said stationary poles and closing the circuit through the remainder of the lights on said stationary poles.

8. In a traic signal system, a plurality of stationary poles, a rotatable pole, meansfor removably supporting all of said poles, traflic directing lights at right angles carried by all of said poles, an electrical circuit including said lights, means responsive tothe movement of said rotatable pole for breaking the circuit through certain of the lights on said stationary poles and closing the circuit through the remainder of the lights on said stationary poles, and means for maintaining the circuit constantly closed through the lights on said rotatable pole.

9. In a trafiic signal system, a rotatable pole, a plurality of supplementary poles, means for removably supporting all of said poles, trafiic directing lights at right angles on all of said poles, an electric circuit including all of said lights, means maintaining the circuit constantly closed through the lights on said rotatable pole, a commutator on said rotatable pole and in said circuit, and terminals in said circuit and electrically connected to said commutator in such a manner that the circuit is closed through only one of said terminals at a time, certain of the lights on said supplementary poles being connected to one of said terminals and the remainder to the other of said terminals.

10. In combinationn, a casing for embedment in a roadway, a socket having electric terminals in said casing, a cover for protecting said casing and terminals, a pole rotatably and removably supported in said socket, terminals of said pole for continuous connectionl with the terminals in the socket, lamps carried by said pole in circuit with said terminals, and traffic directing legends at rlght angles to each other carried by said pole and illuminated by said lamps.

11. In a trafiic signal, a casing for embedment 1n a roadway, a socket having electric terminals in said casing, a member carrying traffic directing legends at right angles to each other and lamps for illuminating the same, said member being removably and rotatably supported in said socket, and means whereby an electric circuitis established between Said terminals and lamps.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand.

' ARTHUR R. AMES. 

